Rangpur Riders’ Shakib al Hasan is set to be absent for the remaining first-phase matches of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in Dhaka. He will be leaving for Singapore on Sunday, January 21, for an eye check-up, as confirmed by Ishtiaque Sadeque, the CEO of the Riders. Sadeque expressed optimism about Shakib’s potential availability during the Sylhet phase, depending on the progress of his eye condition.
“He (Shakib) is leaving for Sylhet today, and we are expecting him to be available during the Sylhet phase if he recovers from his eye problem. Let’s hope for the best, but if that is not the case, we have to play with our available resources,” stated Sadeque in an interview with Cricbuzz.
In the opening BPL game against Fortune Barisal, Shakib encountered eye troubles despite scoring two runs and claiming 2 wickets for 16 runs. Captain Nurul Hasan acknowledged Shakib’s ongoing struggle with eyesight, mentioning regular consultations with doctors. Nurul stated, “Shakib has been grappling with eyesight problems for a while now. He has been in regular contact with the doctors.”
Having faced similar eye issues during the ICC World Cup, Shakib underwent a recent check-up in London before returning to Dhaka on January 18. The Riders are slated to compete against Sylhet Strikers on January 23 and Khulna Tigers on January 26 in their upcoming matches.